Best Stand Mixer for Beginners: 6 Mixers You Don’t Want To Miss

Baking is such a fun hobby to get into. Many of us dipped our toes in the baking world by whipping up banana bread relentlessly a few years back, which became a self-isolating staple for millions of households. Now, more than ever, people are getting into baking, meaning there are lots of newbies out there trying to figure out the ways of a baker.

Having the correct tools is just as important as using high quality ingredients. A stand mixer in particular, can take your baking from amateur to professional with one bake. But, with so many different stand mixers out there, how do you know what you’re looking for and which one is right for you? 

As a beginner, the best stand mixer is one that performs well, gets the job done and is budget friendly. 

If you are on a mission to find the best stand mixer for beginners, I have curated a guide on what features to look out for when looking for your first stand mixer and I have also created a list with all my favorite beginner friendly stand mixers that I think are worth it for you.

Type of Stand Mixers

As a beginner, the first thing you might want to consider is the type of stand mixer. Typically, you get two types, a tilt head and a bowl lift. You also get spiral stand mixers, like the Ankarsrum. These mixers have the motor at the bottom of the mixer and instead of the attachment shaft spinning around, both the attachment and the bowl spin. These types of stand mixers are best used to make dough. 

Tilt head mixers are the most common types of mixers designs you get. The head tilts backwards using a lever or button located on the body of the stand mixer. There isn’t much space between the head and the bowl of the mixer, so the purpose of the tilt head is to allow for more space, enabling you to lock in your bowl, attach accessories and add in ingredients with ease. Tilt head mixers also tend to be smaller in size.

Bowl lift mixers are heavier, taller and have a fixed head instead of one that tilts backwards. Since the head stays put, the bowl is clipped into the handles that extend from the body of the mixer and can be lifted and lowered using a lever. 

When it comes to deciding which one is best for you, I would say the best stand mixer for a beginner is the tilt head ones. At this stage of your baking journey, there is probably no need to look at the spiral mixers. They are not very beginner friendly and are used by more experienced bakers.

Capacity

The size of your mixer depends on how much you think you’ll be baking. When I started out, I baked a lot of small batch bakes until I got confident enough with using the ingredients. You are definitely better off going for a smaller capacity mixer, anything between 3.5 to 5 qt. But you could go as big as 6 qt too. These size bowls are able to accommodate really small batches, like one egg white, to a few dozen cookies. They give you the option to play with different size recipes and more importantly, they are still small enough that they won’t take up too much space in your kitchen.

Unless you are planning on opening a small bakery from home, there is no need at this stage to go for a larger capacity mixer. 

Price

A big consideration factor for most things is price. As a beginner baker, I would recommend going for a mixer that is more on the budget friendly side. The reason I say this is 1) you might not end up spending as much time baking as you thought you would and 2) if something goes wrong with your expensive mixer you might end up spending even more money to replace or fix it (luckily most mixers have warranty so hopefully it wouldn’t get to that). 

A good price point for a beginner stand mixer is anything between $100 to $300. You can find some stand mixers that are cheaper than that, but you are compromising on the quality. There needs to be a balance between affordability and quality. 

Stand Mixer Attachments

Aside from the bowl which is obviously needed, there are three must-have attachments. A flat beater, wire whip and a dough hook. Luckily, most stand mixers comes with all three and some even come with a splash guard. The three attachments plus the mixing bowl are the standard attachments you’ll receive in the box with every stand mixer.

If you have these three attachments, you have everything you need to start off your baking journey. Some stand mixers, like KitchenAid, are designed with a universal hub that lets you add more attachments, making the mixer extremely versatile. You can purchase additional attachments like a grain mill, scale and sifter and even pasta rollers. 

To begin with, I would stick with the attachments that come in the box, and when you become more confident in the kitchen, you can slowly add to your attachment collection.

My Top Best Stand Mixers for Beginners

KitchenAid Artisan

I know what you’re thinking, I said I would only recommend budget friendly, but hear me out. You have most definitely heard of KitchenAid and going for one has probably crossed your mind at some point. When it comes to beginner baking, I am about technique first, equipment second. But, I make an exception for KitchenAid as I think they are some of the best stand mixers you can get your hands on regardless of whether you’re a novice or professional baker. They have become a status symbol and here is why.

What I love about the KitchenAid is that it’s big enough to whip up a couple dozen batches of cookies but it’s also small enough to whip up one egg white. Starting off as a new baker, you’ll probably experiment with smaller batches of bakes to really get used to working with various ingredients. Once you gain more confidence in the kitchen, your Artisan will help you go one step further. 

What is also great about the Artisan is that if you buy this as your first stand mixer, chances are you won’t need to replace it with something better down the line. If you are interested in a KitchenAid, take a look at the beginner guide to KitchenAid stand mixers that I wrote recently. Right, enough rambling, let’s take a look at some of the features. 

The Artisan features a powerful 325 watt AC motor and a 5 qt bowl with a handle at the side. The 10 speeds lets you navigate between breezy mixing to tough dough kneading.

The KitchenAid stand mixer offers 59 touchpoints per rotation for thorough mixing, and the tilt-head design allows easy access to the bowl and attachments. Included in the box is a coated flat beater, coated dough hook, 6-wire whip and 1-piece pouring shield. The flat beater and dough hook are dishwasher-safe. 

You can also choose from a vast variety of colors, so you won’t find yourself short deciding which color suits your kitchen and personality. The universal hub located at the top of the mixer lets you add additional attachments like pasta rollers and meat grinders. As you hone in your skills as a baker, you can start to experiment with different attachments without needing to buy a completely new stand mixer. 

If you can get your hands on one, I would highly recommend the KitchenAid Artisan 5 Series Stand Mixer. It might be slightly over budget, but with the regular sales and deals on both Amazon and the KitchenAid website, you are bound to pick up a KitchenAid Artisan for a bargain. Also, don’t forget you can also pick up refurbished KitchenAid mixers.

KitchenAid Artisan Mini

If you’re a stand mixer newbie or just have limited counter space, the KitchenAid Artisan Mini is your solution. This little guy packs all the power and versatility of its big siblings, but in a compact size that won’t take over your kitchen.

The tilt-head design makes it easy to add ingredients, and the stainless steel bowl is dishwasher safe for effortless cleanup. With 10 speeds and attachments for everything from mixing to making fresh pasta, this stand mixer can handle it all. 

What makes this mixer one of the best stand mixers for beginners is the flex-edge beater. The silicone edge scrapes the side of the bowl as it rotates around, eliminating the need to go scrape down with a spatula after.

Plus, with all the different bold colors you can choose from, it’s almost too pretty to tuck away in a cabinet. Trust me, you’ll want to leave this baby out on display. In short, the Artisan Mini is the stand mixer for beginners (or anyone) who want to up their game in the kitchen without taking over their space.

Cuisinart SM-50TQ

As a novice baker, you want to be on the hunt for a stand mixer that will make your life in the kitchen easier so you can focus more on your baking. Enter the Cuisinart SM-50TQ stand mixer. This bad boy packs a powerful punch with its 500-watt motor and die-cast metal construction. It also has a 5.5 quart capacity, making it perfect for bigger batches, but still has the capacity to make smaller ones too.

But what really sold me was the tilt-back head and easy-to-use speed settings. As a great stand mixer for beginners, I appreciate the simplicity and ease of use in this stand mixer. And with its sleek stainless steel design, it will look great in your kitchen. If agave green isn’t your color, you have six other colors to choose from.

I also love that it comes with all the necessary attachments, like a chef’s whisk, dough hook and flat beater. And if you want to take your baking game to the next level, you can purchase optional attachments like a meat grinder or spiralizer.

Overall, I highly recommend the Cuisinart stand mixer for beginner bakers looking for a reliable and easy-to-use stand mixer.

Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer

If you’re new to stand mixers and baking in general, the Hamilton Beach stand mixer is a great option for you. It has all the same mixing action as a KitchenAid stand mixer, and features the popular, easier-to-use tilt-up head design.

The powerful 300 watt motor can handle thick batters and doughs without any trouble. Plus, the planetary mixing ensures complete coverage in the 4 quart stainless steel bowl – no scraping necessary (kind of). The bowl capacity is slightly smaller than the products mentioned above, but I think it’s the ultimate size for any beginner baker. 

The 7 speeds go from a slow stir to a fast mix, with precise control on every setting. What I love about this stand mixer is the guide at the top that shows you exactly which speed to use for various mixing methods. This feature makes it the best stand mixer for beginners. The 

With the Hamilton Beach stand mixer you get a dough hook, a whisk, a fat beater and a splash guard; everything a beginner needs in a stand mixer.

Aucma Stand Mixer

If you’re just starting out in the baking world, the Aucma stand mixer is a great budget friendly stand mixer for beginners. Its powerful motor and variable speed control make it easy to tackle any recipe with ease. The large 6.5qt stainless steel bowl also means you can mix plenty of batter, dough, or icing at once. For the price, the bowl capacity is incredible so I knew I had to give this a mention. 

Plus, the tilt -head design allows for easy access to switch out the mixing attachments, which includes a whisk, dough hook, and mixing beater.

But it’s not just about functionality – the stand mixer also adds a touch of style to your kitchen with its stainless steel decoration belt and blue LED power indicator. Not to mention, the stand mixer’s dual handles make it easy to move around in the kitchen and the splash guard with access hatch allows for mess-free adding of ingredients.

With 4.6 out of 5 stars and over 14,000 reviews on Amazon, it’s clear that the Aucma stand mixer is a crowd favorite. So if you’re looking for an efficient and reliable stand mixer as a beginner baker, this might just be the one for you.

Cusimax Stand Mixer

The Cusimax stand mixer is a very classy kitchen appliance that will look great on your countertop. It features a very powerful 400 watt motor and 3 speed variables, from slow stir to a fast mix, which is enough if you are starting out as a beginner baker.

The 5 Quart stainless steel mixing bowl, allows you to mix large quantities with ease. The splash guard is also quite unique with this stand mixer as it has a latch that opens and closes so you can pop in any extra ingredients easily.

The stand mixer itself features a tilt-head design, allowing you to lock in your bowl and change attachments effortlessly. The anti-slip suction cups make sure that your stand mixer stays put while it’s mixing away.

With your Cusimax stand mixer, you’ll get a whisk, a dough hook and a mixing beater.

Which one do you think is the best stand mixer for beginners?

If I was at the stage you are at right now and had a bit of money on the side, I would invest in a KitchenAid Artisan or Mini. Their versatility is comparable to none. As you learn more baking skills, you can add attachments and accessories as you please, and with over 80 different attachments, you’ll have no trouble finding the right attachment for your baking needs.

If price is a deciding factor for you, the Hamilton Beach is up there with one of the best stand mixers for beginners. I haven’t seen any other stand mixer that has a handle and it is one of the few mixers out there that has a guide showing you what speed to use depending on what you’re mixing.